Melorheostosis: A Pediatric Case of a Rare Association With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Melorheostosis is a rare chronic disease commonly affecting long bones of the lower extremity with the typical imaging feature of hyperostosis “candle wax pattern.” Typically associated with pain, deformities, stiffness, and joint movement restriction (due to contracture and fibrosis), it may also be asymptomatic. Melorheostosis is considered a benign disease but can be extremely debilitating, especially in a pediatric context where progression can be faster than in adults. An even rarer occurrence seems to be its association with nerve impingement. In this paper, we present the case of an 8-year-old girl with a known condition of melorheostosis of the upper limbs who developed bilateral carpal syndrome. To our knowledge, very few cases of the sort have been described, and even less in a pediatric context.